Australia 'should curb inflow of NZers'

An Australian Labor backbencher says his government should cut back significantly the number of New Zealanders entering his country.

The ABC reports Australian government estimates show that country's population is expected to grow to 35 million people by 2050.

Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson says the number is unsustainable and there needs to be tighter limits on immigration, including from New Zealand.

"If we're going to stabilise population in Australia we need to address the trans-Tasman travel arrangement, otherwise we simply cannot have population policy or control the net overseas migration that comes to Australia," he told the ABC.

Kelvin Thomson says the open-ended arrangement makes such control impossible.